[ Reviewed by: Jay ] - [ Date: Sunday,
19th December, 1999 ]
I sort of wish I had had another map to
review for my debut, lest my new readers
think I am too easy. This one was plain
and simply fun. It isn't terribly big, a
single level that I played in maybe 90 minutes,
including note-taking and stopping and going
back to try alternative approaches. On the
other hand, the 120 enemies in skill 1 gives
for plenty of fragging. Health was fairly
scarce early on in the map, and enemy placement
was such that taking hits was unavoidable
for someone anywhere near my skill level,
which made things exciting.
What did I like?
Enemy placement - multiple enemies in many
places, enemies behind nearly every door.
After a while, I approached each door knowing
there was something on the other side that
wanted to rip my face off. Once or twice,
they succeeded...
The ammo came mostly from enemy dead, which
I feel is more realistic than finding it
just lying around.
The scenery was quite varied, without going
overboard. Not being a graphics designer
or map author, I can't comment on the virtuosity
or skill behind the visuals, but they were
pleasing to the untrained eye, and I never
got tired of them.
I could never be sure an area was cleared.
Enemies would sneak out from hiding and
nearly wax my behind. What did I not like?
Nothing major. I did not get stuck or notice
any serious visual flaws. However, everybody
can find some few things to quibble about,
and I am no exception, so... The Flying
Boss was not much of a challenge. By the
time it appeared, I had A) A railgun and
100 slugs, B) a hyperblaster and 300 cells,
C) A rocket launcher and some number of
rockets, D) a grenade launcher and bunches
of grendades (and a partridge in a pear
tree...) The hyperblaster was more than
adequate. (Note: I'm REALLY reaching, here...)
The map was maybe a little more linear than
it strictly needed to be. In one interesting
room with three doors, only one would open.
One of the others was the other end of the
path begun with the openable one. That was
quite proper, given the design of the "loop",
but an alternate layout, coupled with one-way
doors, could have allowed either door to
be used. (I did say I was reaching...)
The secrets were not that difficult to find.
The items in the secrets were very helpful
at the time, but not necessary to successful
completion of the map.
There are those who feel that there is
some kind of inherent conflict of interest
between reviewers and testers. I do not
happen to subscribe to this view, but it
certainly will not hurt to say that I was
a playtester for this map. The final version
was better than the beta version, but in
part that was because Kona ignored some
of my advice. Anyway, it's out in the open,
and this is likely not the last time I'll
have occasion to say this...
I'm not going to pretend this map is any
challenge to Castles of Stroggos 3 for SPQ2
Map of the Year, but I thought it was more
than worth the time it takes to download.
For those who like lots and lots of fragging,
including plenty of scenarios with multiple
enemies coming at you from different directions,
this one's for you. It's going in my "Good"
folder. |